Fleas often gather at the neck and shoulder blades of your pets. The base of the tail and along the back of the legs is a favorite hangout for them, too. Those are also places animals will bite to get to the fleas.
Fleas prefer to hide in warm and protected areas, such as armpits and groins. Examine your cat's ears with a lot of care for signs of blood, redness, scratching, or dirt. All these can be signs that your cat has fleas. Your cat's belly, groin, or tail base may be red and bumpy - more so if it scratches a lot.
And unlike ticks that stay in one place, fleas run all over your cat's body. The most common places where you can find fleas include: Head and neck (ears, eyes, and under their collar) Legs (hind legs and armpits)
Fleas can be seen with the naked eye, especially in cats with light skin or fur. Reading glasses or magnification may help. These small insects are 1-3 millimeters in length, brown to reddish-brown, and fairly flat from side to side.
Topical preventions have been shown to clear fleas on cats within 12-48 hours, and oral preventions often work within the first 2-4 hours. Never use a flea or tick medication labeled for dogs. They are not interchangeable, and a product made for dogs can make cats extremely sick, and in rare cases it may be fatal.
This triggers excessive grooming behavior. Your cat may clean herself so often and thoroughly that she removes the fleas. It may be harder to spot the fleas since they hop on to the cat to feed and hop off again, so they only temporarily appear. This explains why your cat can have fleas even if you can't find them.
In dogs or cats, run your fingers through the fur and shake, especially in the neck and tail regions. Look for evidence of flea dirt (the feces fleas produce and leave on your pet). Small specks that look like pepper could be flea dirt. To confirm, add a drop of water to the specks.
How do fleas reach your indoor cat? Almost any living creature or inanimate object can bring a flea into your home. Other pets such as dogs are obvious culprits, but fleas can also jump onto your clothes, shoes and bags and be inadvertently carried indoors that way.
All cats are subject to flea infestation and its consequences. There are no predilections in terms of age, breed, or gender. Many cats are able to harbor thousands of fleas without showing significant signs (except for persistent scratching). Others, though, may be profoundly affected.
Flea Eggs Hiding in Carpet
Fleas lay their eggs in the carpet because it provides a relatively safe space for them. To check for eggs, put on gloves and run your fingers through the carpet. Eggs tend to very small and white. Because they are so small, you may need a magnifying glass.
Anemia. If a large number of fleas bite and feed on your cat, your pet can develop anemia, which means your cat is losing too much blood. This is a serious medical condition, especially in kittens and elderly cats, that must be promptly addressed through veterinary care.
Bathe your cat or kitten with a specially formulated flea shampoo to kill fleas on contact. Flea sprays can be a good option for water-averse cats.
During the day, fleas avoid the sun so they are most active at sunset and least active at sunrise. At dusk, the pests would lay more eggs, respire more, and move around in the yard more. Although the fleas are not completely inactive at any time of the day, they have increased activity at dusk and night.
Fleas like hiding in crevices. Their populations are more numerous in places where they can feed (like pet bedding and living rooms) and reproduce undisturbed (like lower-traffic areas or in carpeting). They also inhabit upholstery, furniture, and other common household furnishings, especially where they can stay warm.
It's hard to know when the immature stages are gone, because they are hidden in the environment. One way is to place a flea trap in hot-spot rooms. Traps are useful for monitoring populations of newly emerging adults. Without pets (and with an IGR sprayed) there should be no more new eggs.
Most cats with fleas have minimal scratching and they can remove many fleas by grooming. This is why regular flea inspections are so important as other animals (and people) in your home can become infested.
If there are fleas on your cat, swift action is best. Contact your veterinarian for treatment options. Use a flea comb to remove as many fleas as possible, and vacuum frequently to remove the fleas and their eggs from your carpets and floors. Make sure to take the vacuum canister or dust bag outside immediately.
It used to be that fleas were only a problem in the summer months, but in these days of central heating, they can appear all year round. Give you cat his flea treatment on a regular day each month to ensure cover is continuous.
Comb your cat with a fine-toothed metal flea comb from head to tail several times a day. This will skim off adult fleas and their eggs and ease their itching.
Wash Cat Fleas Away
Try a shampoo with a low concentration of natural oils known to repel fleas, such as cedar, lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus. A diluted solution of apple cider vinegar may also help get rid of fleas. If your cat hates baths, try these tips for making the experience more pleasant for both of you.
It could be feline acne, a common skin condition in cats. What looks like a dirty chin could be a mild to moderate case of cat acne. Those black specks are actually blackheads, similar to blackheads in humans. In more severe cases, a cat can develop red sores and lesions on the chin area.
If you're looking for an easy way to protect your pet, you may be wondering, "Do flea collars work on dogs and cats?" The answer is yes. When used according to label directions, flea collars can protect your pet from itchy, annoying flea bites.
This can occur because the previous homeowner had pets, so flea eggs and larvae might have been left behind (flea eggs can survive dormant for quite a long time in the environment). Or maybe your moving company left your couch or boxes outside on the lawn for a little while and fleas happily caught a ride inside.
Although the random flea might show up if you've just taken your pup for a walk, more than one or two could be a sign of a problem. As few as 20 fleas might mean your pet is infested, while the most could be between 200 to 300.